Package assembly and process of loading the same



Nov. 27, 1962 c. T. NICHOLS PACKAGE ASSEMBLY AND PROCESS OF LOADING THE SAME 2 Sheets-Shed 1 Filed April 19, 1961 INVENTOR. CHARLES T. NICHOLS ZTORNEYS Nov. 27, 1962 c. 'r. NICHOLS 3,065,845

PACKAGE ASSEMBLY AND PROCESS OF LOADING THE SAME Filed April 19, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6. 34 i 35 as as 35 33 34 FIG.7. all I 1 FIG. l0 4| INVENTOR. 1' l 1'? CHARLES T.N|CHOLS w! w w W1 United States Patent 3,065,345 PA ClKAGE ASSEMBLY AND PRGQlE-id (2 F LUADENG THE SAME Charles T. Nichols, Milton, Mass, assignor to Qnik-Pac line, Auburn, Maine, a corporation of Maine Filed Apr. 19, 196i, tier, No. 1%,127 2 Claims. (6i. Mid-7) This invention relates to a package assembly and process of loading the same.

It is an object of this invention to provide a package assembly including a bag open at one end and closed at the other, a handle affixed to the closed end of the bag to permit ready carrying of the bag and a protector frame or chip form for insertion into the bag adapted to contain the item to be packaged, to facilitate loading and protect the contents from crushing or the like while being carried.

Other objects are to provide a process for loading a package assembly by placing the item to be packaged into a protector frame or chip form, sliding the frame and contents into a bag, and sealing the open end thereof; to provide a bag including a single handle which extends transversely of the bottom of the bag and is secured to the side walls thereof, the handle and bag lying flat when stored; to provide a protector frame or chip form for in sertion into a bag, the frame being of substantially rigid one-piece rectangular construction, which may be collapsed into a flat state for storage, and to provide a package assembly of economical construction, the component parts of which may be quickly set up, loaded and sealed for use.

Other objects of the invention will be manifest from the following description of the present preferred forms of the invention, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective View of a package assembly constructed in accordance with the present invention and illustrating its manner of use;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the same showing the manner of loading the package assembly;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along the line 3-5 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line i4 of FIG. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a chip form forming a part of the present invention and showing the same in setup position;

=IG. 6 is a plan view of the chip form of 5 ing the same in flat unassernbled condition;

FIG. 7 is a view similar to PEG. 6 showing the chip form in assembled flat condition;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of a handle hag constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the latter in flat condition;

FIG. 9 is a top plan View illustrating the manner of loading the package assembly of the present invention; and

FIG. 10 is a plan view of a modified chip form, showing the same in flat unassembled condition.

Referring now in greater detail to the drawings the package assembly of the present invention is illustrated as adapted for use in packaging laundered shirts in order to facilitate carrying thereof by customers without crushing the shirt or in any way marring the appearance thereof.

The package assembly includes a handle bag entity 2% which is adapted to receive a protector frame or chip form 21 of a size adapted for ready insertion into bag entity 2t). Handle bag entity in and chip form 21 may be of various sizes depending on the size of the item or items to be packaged.

Handle bag entity 20 may be of conventional shirt bag SHOW- 3,%5,8d5 Patented Nov. 27, 1962 conformation and made of kraftpaper. The bag includes a front wall 22, a back wall 23 and side walls 24 and 25. One end of bag 29 indicated at 26 is closed and sealed in a manner well known in the art.

It is Within the contemplation of the present invention to provide a carrying handle 27 which is adapted to extend transversely over the central portion of closed end 26 which handle may be readily grasped in the hand. The terminals of handle 27 designated 28 are fastened to front wall 22 and back wall 23 by means of glue as indicated at 29 as illustrated in H88. 1 and 8 of the drawing or if desired, by means of gummed tape or pressure sensitive tape. Handle 27 preferably comprises a tube of kraft paper but may also be made of any other suitable material such as cotton, plastic, fiber, etc. it is desirable however to provide a handle of minimum thickness and which is readily flexible in order that it may lie flat in contiguous relationship with the body of the bag when stored, as shown in HS. 8.

Handle bag entity Z0 is open at one end to permit insertion of the item or items to be packaged into the bag, the terminals of the bag adjacent the opening being adapted to be folded inwardly into contiguous relation to form flaps 3d and 31, the flaps being retained in folded position by means of tape 32.

Protector frame or chip form. 21 is preferably formed from a blank of elongated rectangular material having suitable rigidity. Cardboard or like material has been found suitable for this purpose. As shown in FIG. 6 the elongated rectangular blank is scored at predetermined intervals as indicated at 33 to provide side walls 34 and end walls 35. To assemble the chip form the blank is folded along score lines 33 into the position shown in FIG. 7 so that the remote ends of the blank are in contiguous relation. Gummed tape 36 or other suitable material is then placed over joint 37 between the side 34 and end 35 to be joined to secure the latter in place. Chip form 21 may then be set up by maneuvering the sides and ends thereof until it assumes the box-like position illustrated in FIG. 5. It is of course to be understood that in actual usage chip form 21 is pro-assembled and shipped to the consumer in the flat state illustrated in FIG. 7 whereupon it may be quickly set up for use when needed.

When loading the package assembly of the present invention it is preferable to employ a bag filling and holding device such as illustrated in my Patent No. 2,640,638 granted lune 2, 1953. This machine is illustrated generally in FIG. 9 of the drawing and includes a trough 38 adapted to receive the item or items to be packaged and bag distending and holding blades 39' adapted to receive handle bag entity 2%.

in accordance with the present invention the shirt as or other item to be packaged is placed within chip form 21 in trough 38 following which chip form 21 and shirt 40 are slid as a unit along trough 3% into bag 2%. Chip form 21 serves not only to protect the shirt 4th during and after insertion into the bag 2% but also facilitates the loading operation. After the chip form and shirt are inserted into the bag, the latter is removed from the bag filling and holding device and the open end of the bag folded to form flaps 3t and 31. Tape 32 is then positioned over flaps 3d and 31 to complete the packaging process. The package is then ready to be carried as illustrated in PEG. 1.

In FIG. 10, there is shown a modified protector frame or chip form designated 41, made from a blank of elongated rectangular material such as employed in the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 6 and 7. Chip form 41 is particularly constructed for adaptation to accommodate shirts folded at different lengths, e.g. 12 fold or 14 fold, or other commodities of different sizes. For this purpose the blank is transversely scored at intervals 3 intermediate its length, as indicated at 42, between which lines is an end' wall 431 Adjacent score lines 42 are side walls 44 which extend outwardly to score lines 45. A second score line 46 is located in spaced relationship to each score line 455 to form a panel 47. The terminal portions 48 of the blank form end wall segments.

In use of this form of the invention, the blank is folded along score lines 42 to form the side and end walls of the frame. The blank is then folded along either score lines 45 or 46, depending on the length of frame desired. In this form of the invention, therefore, panels 47 selectively provide an extension of the side wall of the frame, or an extension of the end wall thereof. If desired, end segments 48 may be taped together.

Bag entity 20 and protector frame 21 may be of various sizes corresponding to the size of the commodity, the dimensions of the protector frame being comparable to the length, breadth and thickness of the item or items to be packaged.

The package assembly of the present invention may be economically produced, since it requires a minimum of parts which may be quickly assembled. Also, by virtue of the collapsible nature of the component parts, shipping and storage space is reduced to a minimum, the handle bag entity and chip form nevertheless being quickly set up for use when needed. Furthermore, by strategically positioning the carrying handle on the bag, only one such handle is necessary, and it is instantly ready for use upon completion of the loading operation.

While the package assembly and process of loading the same has been shown and described in connection with the packaging of shirts, it is to be understood that such has been done for purpose of illustration only, the present invention being suitable for packaging many other commodities. Various other changes may be made within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

What is claimed is:

1. A package assembly including a bag open at one end and closed at the other, a handle spanning the closed end of the bag, the terminals of the handle being secured to the sides of the bag, a protector frame into which the item to be packaged is placed, the protector frame and item being inserted together into the open end of the bag, said protector frame comprising an elongated rectangular blank, scored at predetermined intervals, the blank being folded along the score lines to provide side walls, end walls and panels interposed between the sidewalls and end walls, the panels selectively comprising extensions of the side walls and end Walls, and means for closing and sealing the open end of the bag.

2. A package assembly including a bag having a front wall, a back wall, side walls, and an end wall, the opposite end of the bag being open, a handle extending transversely over the central portion of said end wall, the terminals of said handle being secured to said front wall and back wall respectively, a protector frame into which the item to be packaged is placed, the protector frame and item being inserted together into the open end of the bag, said protector frame comprising an elongated rectangular blank having transverse score lines at intervals intermediate its length, between which score lines is an end wall, a second set of score lines in spaced relation to said first score lines, defining the limits of said side walls, a third set of score lines adjacent to, but spaced from, said second set of score lines to form panels, and end wall segments extending from said third set of score lines to the blank terminals, the blank being selectively folded along said second set or third set of score lines, whereby the panels form extensions of side walls or end wall segments at the option of the user, to accommodate items of dilferent sizes, and tape means for closing and sealing the open end of the bag.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,133,522 Wo-rdingham Mar. 30, 1915 2,269,796 Strasser Jan. 13, 1942 2,603,407 Crary July 15, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 144,520 Sweden Mar. 16, 1954 

